Relentless Defense, Dominant Rebounding Proves to be Too Much for Nitro as Indians Win Class AAA Title
By Jeff Toquinto on March 22, 2025
The Paul “Bear” Bryan quote stating “defense wins championships” was meant for the football field. This afternoon at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center Bridgeport High School showed that it applies to basketball as well.
BHS’s relentless defense and rebounding proved to be far too much for Nitro to handle in what turned into a 62-40 Class AAA state championship victory by the Indians. It was the first state title since 2001 and third in school history.
The Tribe finished the year 26-1, which is the most wins ever by the program, as well as a season-ending 24-game winning streak. The 
only loss this season came to the same Wildcat squad almost three months to the day. NHS beat the Tribe 52-44 on Dec. 21 but had no answers for its Harrison County opponent today.
only loss this season came to the same Wildcat squad almost three months to the day. NHS beat the Tribe 52-44 on Dec. 21 but had no answers for its Harrison County opponent today.
The reason? There was plenty to choose from with the aforementioned defense and rebounding leading the way. And the numbers back it up.
While Nitro shot better after an opening period that was disastrous, it still finished the game 16-of-43 from the field (37.2 percent) but was just 2-of-17 (11.8 percent) on 3-point field goals.
The killer for a Nitro team that featured one of the few front lines bigger than Bridgeport was on the boards. The Indians won the battle off the glass 39-15. In fact, Bridgeport had more offensive rebounds, 16, than its foe, who managed to get just five.
“I didn’t realize it was that much of a gap,” said BHS Coach Dave Marshall when told of the numbers. “They’re big and there’s not been a lot of teams at our level that matches our size, and they do and then some. I was really proud of our guys for that.”
The dominance of the boards and the difference it made in the game was not lost on Nitro Coach Austin Lowe.
“Hats off to Coach Marshall and Bridgeport. They came out and took it to us. There were a little more physical than we were expecting,” he said. “If you would have told me we would get outrebounded by 20 I would have told you, you were crazy. They had more offensive rebounds than we had total rebounds.”
The physical nature of the game played directly into the hands of 6’6, 240-pound senior center Carter Zuliani. He finished with team-high totals of 13 points and 10 rebounds, along with a stitches-requiring busted chin, in a contest where the officials let both teams play physically.
“He’s a mountain of a man and he’s such a great athlete,” said Marshall. “He took a good one diving on the floor there and cut him up and he was right back in it. He’s a really tough kid.”
In the postgame, he also proved to be humble. When asked about the contest, he talked about his teammates.
“We have different players that can drop 20 in different situations,” Zuliani said. “It’s great being surrounded by these guys and I’m very
thankful for it.”
It is safe to say the BHS players and the team’s faithful were thankful to how the game started as it set the tone for what was to come. The first quarter was a defensive clinic by the Indians and provided an early cushion they would carry into the second quarter. Leading 6-4 at the 4:32 mark thanks to four points by Phoenix Sickles, the Indians put on the clamps.
Bridgeport ended the period on an 11-2 run to lead 17-6. Jack Spatafore led the period-ending run with five points, including the Tribe’s first 3-point basket of the game.
How good was the first period defense? Nitro finished 2-of-12 from the floor for 16.7 percent, including 0-for-5 from deep. Bridgeport, meanwhile, was 5-of-13 and made up for the misses by dominating the boards by a 13-6 count.
In the second period, Nitro’s offense picked up. However, the Indians’ offense more than matched it.
Early in the second, the Wildcats cut the lead to eight twice, the final time on a layup by Landon Poniatowski with 6:28 to play to make the score 19-11. After that, Bridgeport would expand the lead with a flurry of baskets from inside and out.
The Tribe would outscore NHS 19-8 to close the period and it came from a plethora of players. The entire second quarter, which saw the Indians score 21 points, was a potpourri of contributions from the starters and the bench.
Zuliani’s inside presence led the way with 7 points in the frame. Gavin Williams hit for five, including a triple, and Donovan Williams hit for a pair of baskets as the Indians went into the half with a 38-19 advantage.
Bridgeport was never threatened in the second half as the third quarter lead stayed between 17 points and 22, with the Tribe taking a 48-29 advantage into the final eight minutes of play. BHS deliberately slowed the pace down to help make sure there would be no run, only taking 16 shots over the final 16 minutes.
Any hopes of a comeback were erased midway through the final period. Nitro, clinging to life, cut the lead to 16 before G. Williams weaved his way through the defense, drew in several defenders, and kicked a bounce pass to Zuliani. The senior responded with a dunk at the
4:44 mark for a 51-33 score to all but end it.
4:44 mark for a 51-33 score to all but end it.
The 16-point margin was the closest the Wildcats would get in the final two periods. The largest margin was 25 points, which came on a Jaylan Brown triple off an assist from Sam Romano with 40 seconds left to make it 62-47. A late 3-pointer by NHS proved to be the game’s final points.
Spatafore had another solid floor game with 12 points on 4-of-9 shooting. Landon Anderson added 10, including a 3-for-8 effort from downtown.
Sickles, a Swiss Army Knife of a player for Bridgeport, would end up the tournament’s most valuable player. He finished with 9 points and 7 rebounds.
“I’m super happy for all of our guys,” said Sickles. “We worked for this every day in practice … It’s just a wonderful feeling.”
Bridgeport’s balance, with the top four scorers between 9 and 13 points, and two more players with 6 and 7, has been another hallmark this year causing the opposition problems.
“These guys have been together so long, the core group of them, they don’t have a problem sharing the ball. They realize that it makes each of them better,” said Marshall. “It’s been such a blessing and a fun thing to coach them.”
BHS now has boys state titles in 1993, 2001, and this year’s crown. Marshall becomes the third coach in state history in any classification to coach the boys and girls to titles in high school joining Burch’s Mike Smith and Capital’s Carl Clark. Marshall led the Tribe girls to a Class AA title in 2013.
While the defense stole the show, the offense was far from poor. Bridgeport hit 21-of-45 (46.7 percent) from the floor and also went 7-for-
15 (46.7 percent) from deep. Although the Indians did have 11 turnovers, BHS turned the ball over just one time when building the lead in the first half.
15 (46.7 percent) from deep. Although the Indians did have 11 turnovers, BHS turned the ball over just one time when building the lead in the first half.
As for the revenge factor, Marshall said it did not hurt having a chip to carry on their shoulder.
"I hate to lose more than I like to win…I think it did help that we lost to them earlier in the season," he said.
Nitro finished 19-7. The Wildcats’ Ashton Crouch led all scorers with 16 points, while Ty Stephens added 11. No other player scored more than four points.
Joining Sickles on the all-tournament team from Bridgeport were Zuliani, Sanders, and Anderson McDougal. Trea Cumberledge from Fairmont Senior was also named to the all-tournament team.
Editor's Note: Top photo shows Phoenix Sickles following up a missed shot for an offensive rebound and basket, while Landon Sanders lines up for a baseline 3-point shot in the second photo. In the third image, Carter Zuliani powers inside for two points and that is followed by Anderson McDougal fighting through a screen with some of Bridgeport's tenacious defense. In the fifth photo, Donovan Williams goes up strong in the second quarter where the Indians built a double digit lead they would never surrender. The sixth photo shows Jack Spatafore attacking the hoop followed by the team with the Class AAA state title. Team championship photo is below. All photos by Joe LaRocca.
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